So the gf has graduated with her RN degree... Takes the boards in a couple months... Then we start seriously looking at Colorado as our next place of residence... So now the big question is where in Colorado...

We're currently looking at the Denver area... Haven't delved to far into details aside from "Denver area"...

Here's what she wants/needs... Liberalism... Good nursing jobs(she'd really like CU-Aurora... But it's not looking likely due to lack of experience)... Farmers markets/organic/non-big box grocery... accessibility to the outdoors within reasonable drive... Able to bike... Close to good transit for work...

I'm pretty simple in my asking... Reasonable distance to streams/rivers/lakes/etc... I fish both cold/warmwater species and being reasonably close to both would be nice(30min-1hr tops on average... Understanding that from week to week I'd still drive 1-2+ hrs to get to less pressured fishing when I need piece of mind)... I'd also like an area with a good number of restaurants to be able to get a close to home job... While keeping the fishing bum in me live and well... Also access to certain businesses is a plus... So FoCo is out of discussion due to their ban on such establishments...

Another question is does vehicle really dictate where I can and will be able to go? I drive a neon and have forded streams with it in the past... Been down deadly icy rocky roads with the occasional gotta move a tree out of the road type scenarios...

Come to Santa Cruz, Ca...if the gf like liberals, she'll be in heaven. You can drive five hours to fish crowded waters for stocked trout and she can koombaya with the best of them. Heck, you can take in some of the thousands of homeless that beg downtown to anchor her liberal views and when all of the water in the state is used on pistachios for export to China she can help pay for the desal plants.

Move to Mt and let her read liberal books

Edit....sorry....I've had it with the left coast a little and took it out on your gf...hope you do well on your move.

Come to Santa Cruz, Ca...if the gf like liberals, she'll be in heaven. You can drive five hours to fish crowded waters for stocked trout and she can koombaya with the best of them. Heck, you can take in some of the thousands of homeless that beg downtown to anchor her liberal views and when all of the water in the state is used on pistachios for export to China she can help pay for the desal plants.

Move to Mt and let her read liberal books

Well let me start by saying maybe you should be the one reading a book... Might help you spell simple words such as "diesel"... plus there's plenty of diesel in Colorado... Mainly of the Sour variety...

Secondly, I'm not looking for some political rant... So please keep your righty views to yourself... Thank you very much...

University of Colorado Hospital is a great place to work and we've hired a lot of new nursing grads recently since the new tower opened up. Perhaps that has slowed down though. There are a lot of other hospitals in the Metro area that would be worth looking at if she isn't already - National Jewish, St Joes, St Luke's, Porter Adventist, Swedish, etc etc etc. Downside of UCH is that, being on the Northeast side of the metro if you want an easy commute you do generally have to drive across town to the mountains. That said, unless you're in heavy traffic you're pretty close to the mountains and good fishing. Denver is also a great biking city. Even without going into the mountains there are a lot of trails etc. Have colleagues who bike in from all over the city.

I choose close since my wife and I are both on the campus (also houses children's hospital, research buildings, and graduate medical education and a new VA hospital is being built as we speak). Have friends who choose to live in Golden etc to be close to the mountains but they can have a rougher commute. Lots of areas of the city would work well if you worked on campus. If you get down to where to look for housing let me know. There are a good number of buses that come to campus. Might not cut down on commute time but would make it easier since you could read etc. Also the light rail is coming through campus on the way to the airport.

Driving from Boulder to Denver in rush hour can be tough, I work with some people who have done it. There is an express bus that runs to campus but it is time on the road and limits your hours.

Check out Medical Center of the Rockies and Poudre Valley near Ft. Collins. Great college town north of Denver. Colorado Springs would be a great place to live too and near fishing though perhaps not on the liberal front.

Tons of great fishing along the front range!! I've lived her my while life (34 years) can pretty much fish year around!! Just find a place close to work and tons of fishing within a hour of almost anywhere!! I live up north and fish the Poudre, Thompson, RMNP, South platte......etc!! Welcome to the state!! You will love it!! Just buy plenty of hi cap mags before you get here!!! Damn Hickinlooper!

Thanks Williamhj. Like I had mentioned Sarah is really interested in the Aurora campus hospital as it's a teaching hospital... She did her externship at Barnes Jewish in St Louis on the MSLU campus... But she said what she wanted to do... ICU/CCU... Requires at least 2 years prior experience... But what's to expect... Her dream job will take work... She's also more use to the commute idea now that she had to commute 45-60min when she was in st louis area

The other thing really drawing me to Denver area is it's looking like the new food mecca... Tons of great restaurants... Think I counted like 8 or so schools in the area that offer culinary degrees of some sort... Including J&W if I was really really serious... It's also the highest median pay for cooks in the US according to a lust I was reading awhile back...

Another question is are there any streams or rivers in CO that have smallies? I know they stock them in reservoirs...

One more question... What's the wildlife and fishing situation like... Would one be best off caring a pistol of some sort to chase of bear/wolf? Here in the DA it's not an issue...

Tons of great fishing along the front range!! I've lived her my while life (34 years) can pretty much fish year around!! Just find a place close to work and tons of fishing within a hour of almost anywhere!! I live up north and fish the Poudre, Thompson, RMNP, South platte......etc!! Welcome to the state!! You will love it!! Just buy plenty of hi cap mags before you get here!!! Damn Hickinlooper!

I have no interest in owning a gun unless I feel the need for one against bears... And I'm much too old for high school... And don't really like to go to the theater...

Thanks Williamhj. Like I had mentioned Sarah is really interested in the Aurora campus hospital as it's a teaching hospital... She did her externship at Barnes Jewish in St Louis on the MSLU campus... But she said what she wanted to do... ICU/CCU... Requires at least 2 years prior experience... But what's to expect... Her dream job will take work... She's also more use to the commute idea now that she had to commute 45-60min when she was in st louis area

The other thing really drawing me to Denver area is it's looking like the new food mecca... Tons of great restaurants... Think I counted like 8 or so schools in the area that offer culinary degrees of some sort... Including J&W if I was really really serious... It's also the highest median pay for cooks in the US according to a lust I was reading awhile back...

Another question is are there any streams or rivers in CO that have smallies? I know they stock them in reservoirs...

One more question... What's the wildlife and fishing situation like... Would one be best off caring a pistol of some sort to chase of bear/wolf? Here in the DA it's not an issue...

I'm moving to Colorado in a month. We chose to live in the burbs west of town for easy access to the mountains.

Just my 2 cents...but when asking for local help on an Internet forum I probably wouldn't insult or make jokes about what is most likely a sensitive subject for the people who live there.